Heating system



Dec. 4, 1928. 1,694,080

M. R. PLUNKETT HEATING SYSTEM Filed March 19, 1927 Patented Dec. 4,1928.

lUNITED STATES 1,694,080 PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL R. PLUNKETT, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ,ONE-HALFTO J. MAURICE KELLEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

HEATING SYSTEM.

Application filed March -19,1927. Serial No. 176,617.

This invention relates to improvements in heating systems and moreparticularly to anv arrangement wherein the water of condensa-y tionwhich is returned from the radiators ot l the system is preheated priorto its entry into the boiler.

In the steam heating systems as ordinarily employed it has been theusual practice to return the water of condensation from the steamradiators directly into the boiler with the result that water ofrelatively low temperature is ed into the water chamber of the boiler.

This cooled water must then be heated to a temperature suflicient togenerate steam with a resultant loss in eciency of operation of theboiler as will be well understood by those skilled in the art. It',however, the water of condensation is preheated before its reentry inthe water space oi' the boiler, less sa heat will be required to raiseit to the temperature at which steam is generated and as a consequencethereof less fuel will be consumed while at the same time the systemwill be operated at a much higher rate of eiiiciency.

It is accordingly among the objects of this invention to utilize togreat extent that heat which has heretofore been permitted to passdirectly out of the boiler stack or iiue in the form oi wasted energy insuch manner that the water of condensation returning from the radiatorsis preheated prior to its entry into the main water chamber of theboiler.

While the above is a primary object of the invention, there are yetother objects `relating to details of economy, operation andconstruction, among which is the provision of a plurality of separatecompartments through which the condensate successively passes during itsreturn from the radiators.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an arrangement otstaggered passageways for insurino' the continuous passage of the gasesof combustion through and between these compartments as the gases passfrom the combustion chamber to the boiler flue.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of pressureequalizing means interposed between tlie main return pipe for thecondensate or other convenient point in the system and the conduitleading into the water chamber of the' boiler and operative to maintainan equal or balanced pressure between certain points in the system.

A still further object is the provision of means for eiiectuallyprecluding any possibility of the condensate passing directly into `theboiler before it has passed through all of the preheating compartmentsin succession, the arrangement being such that the returning condensateiirst passes into the compartment which is farthest removed from thecom-- bustion chamber and which accordingly is subjected tc an effectiveheat of lowest temperature; thence successively through theiiitermediate compartment or compartments and finally into and throughthat compartment which is closest to the combustion chamber and which isaccordingly subjected to the heating influence ot the gases of highesttemperature.

Other obj ects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

To enable those skilled in the art to comprehend and practice theinvention I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing and will nowproceed to describe certain embodi-A ments of the invention asexempliiied in steam heating systems suitable for heating dwellinghouses and the like, desiring it to be understood, however, that theinvention is equally adapted for other uses as hereinafter more fullypointed out.

In the saiddrawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a steam generating boiler embodying theprinciples of the invention, the preheating unit and associated partsbeing shown as mounted directly upon the boiler;

Fig. 2 shows on a reduced scale a modiied form of the invention whereinthe preheating uni1t is supported independently of the boiler; an

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the equalizer connection between the mainreturn for the condensate and the conduit leading to the boiler.

Referring more particularlyto the drawing, the boiler proper, designatedgenerally by the reference numeral 10, is of substantially the usualconstruction and is provided with the combustion chamber 11 surroundedat its sides and top with themain water heating chamber 12. An opening13 in the crown sheet 13 at the top oi the combustion chamber isprovided for the passage therethrough of the gases of combustion, whichgases are finally delivered lto the flue 14 in the manner to behereinafter explained. As is well understood, the main water chamber 12is closed i at all points the water initially entering the chamberadjacent the bottom thereof, as at 15, and passing therefrom in the formof steam through a pipe 16 communicating with the steam space or dome17.

In the present instance, the boiler is provided with a plurality ofwater compartments 18, 19 and 20 arranged one above the other and allbeing suitably mounted as a unit upon the upper end of the boiler 10.Each of these compartments is of substantially similar construction andeach is provided with annular projections 21 on their lower surfacesarranged to be received Within complementally formed seats 22 formedrespectively on the upper surfaces of the boiler and the compartments 18and 19, these annular projections 21 and their seats 22 serving toeffectively prevent lateral displacement ofthe several compartmentsrelative to one another. It is to be understood, however, that any othermeans may be employed for this purpose. A smoke drum 23 of substantiallyelliptical cross section is disposed upon the upper end of thecompartment 2() and forms part of the preheating unit, thissmoke drumbeing retained against lateral displacement in a manner similar to thatjust described in connection with the compartments 18, 19 and 20.

The compartments 18 and 2O are each provided with a plurality ofvertically extending passages 24 and the compartment 19 is provided witha similar centrally disposed passage 25, all of which passages areinveommunication with each other and with the passage 13 leading fromthe combustion chamber of the boiler to provide a more or less stageredor tortuous path for the gases of comustion as they pass from thecombustion chamber to the smoke drum 23 and thence through the opening26 to the flue 14. It will thus be seen that the rising gases will becaused to pass through and around the several water compartments 18, 19and 20 with the result that the water contained therein will be heatedto considerable extent.

The water compartments are interconnected solely'by the inclined pipes27 and 28, these pipes being so arranged that their upper ends are reseetively connected to the upper portions of t e compartments 19 and 20while their lower ends are respectively connected to the bottom portionsof the compartments 18 and 19. The main return line 29 from theradiators (not shown) of the system is connected, as at 30, to thebottom of the upper compartment 20 opposite to the point of connectionof the upper end of the pipe 28. The return to the water chamber 12 ofthe boiler is completed by the pipe 31 which is con nected at one end,as at 32, to the top of the lower compartment 18 and at its oppositeend, as at 33, to a conduit or stand pipe 34y leading to the bottom ofthe water chamber 12 which surrounds the combustion chamber.

Water may be initially supplied to the boiler through the supply line35, this water coursing continuously and in order through thecompartments 20, 19 and 18-to the water chamber 12 in which, duringoperation, the water level W is maintained somewhat above the crownsheet 13. During the operation of the system the water of condensationreturning from the radiators flows through the main return 29 into andthrough the upper compartment 20 where it is subjected to the4 heat ofthe gases just prior to their entry into the smoke drum, thence by wayof the pipe 28 into and through the compartment 19 where it is subjectedto the gases of somewhat higher temperature, and thence by way of thepipe 27 into and through the compartment 18 where the condensate issubjected to the gases of highest temperature, this heated condensatefinally passing by way of pipes 31 and 34 into the water chamber of theboiler.

In order to prevent any tendency of the water in either of thecompartments 19 or 2() from backing u into the return line 29, anequalizer in the orm of a U-shaped pipe 3G is provided, one leg of whichmay be connected as at 37 to the main return or other suitable point inthe system and the other as at 38, to a vertical extension 39 of thestandpipe or conduit 34. Still further, the upper ends of the inclinedpipes 27 and 28 are respectively connected, as at 40 and 41, to thisstandpipe extension 39 by the vertically inclined pipes 42 and 43, thepoints of connection 40 and 41 being preferably both at an elevationabove the upper surface level of the water compartment 20. Thisequalizer provides a balancing pressure between the return line 29 forthe water of condensation, the standpipe 34 and the interior of thewater jacket, such that there is no tendency for the water in thepreheating compartments to siphon directly into the water chamber of theboiler before it has passed through all of the compartments insuccession and so been subjected to the full heating influence of theescaping gases, and. insures a free gravity flow from the upper to thelower compartments and thence to the water heating chamber 12 at alltimes.

Fig. 2 illustrates a slightly modified arrangement wherein thepreheating unit is shown as being disposed separately from the boilerproper. In this case the unit is supported independently of the boilerin any suitable way and is connected to the boiler flue by anintermediate smoke pipe 45. In al] other respects the arrangements shownin Figs. 1 and 2 are essentially similar. j

While I have herein described and illustrated certain embodiments of myinvention with considerable particularity, I do not thereby desire orintend to limit or confine myself specifically thereto nor to restrictthe use of the invention to heating systems primarily intended forheating houses or the Uitl like, kas suitable modifications may, ifdesired, be made in the design, construction and arrangement of thevarious parts'and the invention utilized for purposes other than that towhich I have referred without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined in the appended claims'.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to protect byLetters Patent of the United States:

1. In a heating system, in combination, a

boiler including a Combustion chamber and a Water jacket surroundingsaid chamber, a plurality of superimposed water compartments arrangedadjacent said boiler, a return line for the water of condensationconnected to the lower part of the upper of said compartments, a lineconnecting the top of said upper compartment with the bottom of anintermediate compartment,a line connecting the top of said intermediatecompartment with the bottom of the next lower compartment, a standpipeinterconnecting the top of said latter compartment with said waterjacket, and means connected/between said Water'condensate return andsaid standpipe for equalizing the pressure in the system and effectuallypreventing a siphoning action between said Water compartments and saidjacket.

2. In a heating system, in combination, a boiler including a combustionchamber and a water jacket surrounding said chamber, a plurality ofsuperimposed water compartments 'arranged adjacent said'boiler, a returnline for the water of condensation connected to the lower part of t-heupper of said compartments, a line connecting the top of said uppercompartment with the bottom of an intermediate compartment, a lineconnecting the top of said intermediate compartment with the bottom ofthe next lower compartment, a standpipe interconnecting the top of saidlatter compartment with said water jacket, a U-shaped pipe forming anair trap connected between said Water condensate return andsaid-standpipe, and means interconnecting the upper portions of saidupper and intermediate water compartments with said standpipe atelevations above the upper surface level of the uppermostwatercompartment.4

3. In a heating system, in combination, a. boiler including a combustionchamber and an. evaporation chamber surrounding said combustion chamber,a preheating unit for the water of condensation disposed in a planeabove the boiler and having an inlet connected with the water returnline of the system and an outlet at a higher level than said inletconnected with said evaporation chamber, and an equalizerunit-establishing communication between said outlet and said return linefor eifectually preventing a Siphoning action from said preheating unit.

4. In a heating system, in combination, a' boiler including a combustionchamber and an evaporation chamber surrounding said combustion chamber,a preheating unit for the water of condensation disposed in a planeabove the boiler and having an inlet connected with the return side ofthe system and an outlet at a higher level than the inlet connected withthe evaporation chamber, and an equalizer unit establishingcommunication between the return side of the system and the evaporationchamber operative to effectuallyprevent a siphoning action from thepreheating unit to the evaporation chamber.

5. In a heating system, in combination, a boiler including a combustionchamber and an evaporation chamber surrounding said combustion chamber,a preheating unit for the water of condensation disposed in a plane labove the boiler and having an inlet connected with the return side ofthesystem and an outlet at a higher level than the inlet connected withthe evaporation chamber, and an equalizer unit establishing connection'between the return side of the system and the evaporation chamber andcomprising a, U- shaped pipe vforming an air trap, said unit beingoperative to eectually prevent a siphpning action from the preheatingunit to the evaporation chamber.

6. In a heating system, in combination, a boiler including a combustionchamber and an evaporation chamber, a preheating unit for the water ofcondensation disposed in a plane above the boiler and having an inletconnected with the return side of the system and an outlet at a higherlevel than the inlet connected with the evaporation chamber, and anequalizer unit establishing communication between said outlet and thereturn side of the system for efectually preventing a, siphoning actionfrom the preheating unit to the evap-4 oration chamber and comprising anair trap connected between the return sideof the sys"- te-m and theoutlet of the preheater.

7. In a heating system, in combination, a boiler including a combustionchamber and a water chamber surrounding said chamber, a preheating unitfor the water of condensa- 'tion returned from the system disposed in aplane above the boiler, an outlet connection rom the lower part of thepreheater to the boiler, a condensate return line connected to thepreheater at a level-higher than the outlet connection, and an equalizerunit cornprising an air trap connected between said return line and saidoutlet connection operative to reffectuallyy prevent a siphoning ctionfrom said unit into said water cham- In witness whereof,I have hereuntoset my hand this 17th day of March, 1927 MICHAEL R. rnurunrr'r.l

